


When Wings Fail

by firebird_fiction



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Brogane shirogane, Genderfluid Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Matt and Pidge don't know each other, Multi, klangst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-02 01:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10934052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firebird_fiction/pseuds/firebird_fiction
Summary: Taken directly from the work (with minor grammar and spelling fixes)-[Okay so Keith is a guardian angel who has been assigned to Lance, obviously. But Keith falls in love with Lance instead and has his wings ripped from him painfully because that's the worst thing an angel could do. And sometimes, he looks up at the stars and thinks..."Was it worth it?" then he looks at Lance and smiles. "It definitely was"]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Taken directly from the work (with minor grammar and spelling fixes)-  
> [Okay so Keith is a guardian angel who has been assigned to Lance, obviously. But Keith falls in love with Lance instead and has his wings ripped from him painfully because that's the worst thing an angel could do. And sometimes, he looks up at the stars and thinks..."Was it worth it?" then he looks at Lance and smiles. "It definitely was"]

Keith was never really a fan of the mortals. In all honesty, he actually despised them. He had seen many good guardians fall victim to the mortals charm, seen them have their wings ripped away. This was why he had rejected all of Shiro's offers to let Keith peek in on a mortal life.

"Humans are clingy. I have no time for that." That was Keith's best excuse. Shiro had heard all of Keith's horrible excuses, and he wasn't letting him slip away so easily.

"Keith, one day you're going to be the Guardian angel for a human. At least watch mine for a little." Shoving Keith towards the well that Shiro would watch through, Keith groaned leaning over the stone wall.

Shiro's human was small, maybe sixteen at most. They were always yelling at someone or making smart remarks. Shiro grinned at all their horrible puns, laughing when they would mouth off their friend. Finally they settled, burying their nose in their computer, and pushing their round glasses up with one finger.

"She's kind of rude?" Keith wasn't really sure how to take the the thing. She didn't even seem nice.

Shiro shook his head, still smiling. "Not she."

Keith looked confused, face contorted and nose scrunched up. "Well it's not a boy."

"Of course not." Shiro frowned slightly. "Pidge goes by 'they'. They don't use masculine or feminine pronouns."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Keith turned to leave. "That's the dumbest thing I've heard."

"Dumber than the fact that you aren't attracted to a single person?" Shiro grinned, slyly peeking at Keith out of the side of his eye. Keith growled, more dog like than angel. "One day you'll be assigned to your own human, Keith. Don't think you can avoid them forever." Shiro shook his head and returned to watching over Pidge, Keith storming off.

* * *

Keith aimlessly wandered among the many Guardians he knew. A friendly smile there, a scowl there. Keith never really bothered paying attention to them anyway. He instead found himself at the edge of the angel realm, staring up at space.

The Guardian angels dwelled in a place not visible to the human eye. Somewhere between space and Earth, their domain floated, glass floors and golden adornments. Keith loved to walk himself to what seemed to be the edge, but there was no such thing. He would sit, cross-legged and silent as he stared at the twinkling stars, or watched distant planets move. Somewhere along the way, angels became scarce, not a single one in sight where Keith sat.

Keith was typically alone as he stared at the nothingness before him, but occasionally someone would wander out to him. Only sometimes they would actually talk with him, most other times just watching the stars with him. Usually it was Matt, other times Coran. Shiro would come whenever he could peel himself away from Pidge, which was very rarely. Pidge was probably the most reckless human Keith had ever seen. Not that he had seen many.

This time it was Coran who found the fiery winged boy amidst the emptiness. The man came and plopped next to Keith, staring down at the Earth below them before daring to make eye contact.

"Things not going well?" Coran lifted his head slightly, Keith unmoving.

"They're fine."

"That's why you're in your 'alone space', right?" Coran knew all the buttons to push, all the strings to pull. You have to when you babysit the Head Guardian.

Keith blinked a couple times, lowering his gaze to the tangerine wings, the warm smile next to him. "Just a bit lonely I guess." Keith gave a half-hearted smile, turning his gaze back to the stars.

"I think I can help." Coran gave a crooked smile, showing he was plotting something.

"You are _not_ trying to set me up with someone _again_." Keith groaned, head dropping backwards.

"I promise." Coran laughed, shuffling his wings as he rose. "Come on."

* * *

Shiro was just about ready to smack his head against the well he peered through. Pidge was reckless, obnoxious, and was so prone to trouble, Shiro didn't even have time to think before they were in another fight. Shiro had pretended to enjoy Pidge's roasts and foul behavior while Keith was around so he could prove a point. In reality, Shiro really wished that Pidge could see him so he could knock some sense into them. Instead he was left to groan and mumble while Matt died of laughter on the other side of Shiro's well.

Allura came storming up to the two of  them, panic written on her face. Her white wings were fluffy in a panic, her hair an absolute mess. She grabbed Shiro's shoulders, turning him to face her. He was exhausted and kept glancing back at his well, not much expression showing when Pidge would snip at someone. "Shiro, Matt, have either of you seen Keith?" Shiro snapped back to reality- or whatever the angels lived in- facing Allura with a confused expression. Matt also stopped his laughter, frozen in his hunched position. Matt and Shiro's eyes met, a silent word spoken between them as they looked back at Allura.

There were two possible reasons Allura wanted Keith. Three, but the last wasn't likely. Either Keith had tried to kill someone again, or he was to be assigned a human. By the number of angels heading toward the castle, Shiro figured the second option was more likely. The third reason was that Keith had broken into the castle and stolen Allura's hair products for the fifth time.

"The last time I saw Keith he was storming away." Shiro looked around, noticing all the empty wells, wondering which one Keith would stand at.

"Yeah, he left after Shiro made him watch Pidge. I think he was intimidated." Matt laughed to himself, a grin spreading across his face.

Allura scrunched her nose, looking down into Shiro's well. She fluffed her wings again, clearly upset. She turned to leave, spinning on her heels after a few steps. "Shiro, has Pidge been annoying you by any chance?" 

"What? Why- how  can you tell?" Shiro's brow furrowed, looking at Matt who was covering his mouth. He knew it was coming, he was just waiting for Shiro's reaction.

"Well, your uh, your hair." Allura slightly pointed to Shiro's bangs, smiling kindly. When he didn't react, Allura continued. "It's white, Shiro. Pidge turned your hair white."

"WHAT!?" Shiro fell against his well instantly, doing his best to look for a reflection. Matt had burst into laughter again, falling to the ground. He had curled himself into a ball, clutching his stomach as he gasped for air between laughs.

"Maybe you and Matt want to switch?" Allura smiled hopefully. "I can take care of the details." Shiro nodded in agreement, looking to the beige pile of feathers on the ground.

"Matt, is that okay with you?" Shiro nudged one of Matt's wings, Matt managing to nod in response. Shiro smiled thankfully. Hunk was  _much_ less reckless. Shiro started towards the castle, Allura tugging him along. With one last word, Shiro disappeared from Matt's sight.

"Your so much like Aiko, it almost hurts." With that Shiro was gone, and Matt had never gone from laughter to tears faster.

"But it  _does_ hurt, Shiro." 

* * *

Lance sweat nervously, game controller in hand, headset covering one ear. Aiko sat comfortably next to him, gum in her mouth, casually kicking Lance's ass at his own game. Laughing internally, she glanced beside her to see her brother hunched over, trying to make the character move by moving himself. He looked about ready to fall off the couch, lip pulled into his mouth as he chewed it.

"Nervous, Lance?" Aiko grinned, landing a bullet next to Lance's character as a tease.

"What? Of course not- AHH!" Lance jumped, Aiko's character leaping out a window. "Cut it out, Aiko!"

"Nah, this is way too fun." Aiko aimed her sniper rifle at the trailer Lance hid behind, creeping closer to the corner. Lance stiffened up, a fence blocking his only way out. Aiko stopped moving for a second, glancing at the nervous dork next to her. He took the opportunity to run past her character, grinning triumphantly. Aiko also grinned, spinning her character and firing after Lance. His character hit the ground, Lance crying out in frustration.

"I thought you said you were bad at this game!" Lance pulled the headset off, dropping the remote on the couch next to him.

"Of course she would say that. I would've said it too." Pidge peeked over the top of the computer screen, huge frames covering most of their face. Lance snorted, lifting himself from the couch. 

"I would  _expect_ you to say it, Pidge. That's just how you are." Lance furrowed his eyebrows, Aiko snickering to herself behind him. "Aren't you past your curfew or something?"

"Curfew?" Pidge was taken back, nearly dropping their computer. "I don't have a curfew! I'm not a child, Lance!" Lance rolled his eyes, muttering words only Aiko could hear. This, of course, resulted in an eruption of laughter form the girl, in which she dropped her remote and fell on the floor, gasping for air. Pidge glared at Lance, who merely shrugged, walking towards the stairs. Lance's foot landed on the first step just as Hunk opened the door to the basement, hot chocolate for everyone on a tray as Shay followed close behind with blankets.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shay grinned, eyeing Lance as he backed away from the stairs.

"I was going to hide form Aiko." Lance sneered, smirking sideways at Aiko, who was almost unconscious laughing on the floor.

"Is she being cruel again?" Hunk smiled at the girl, though she really couldn't see through her tears. Shay dropped the blankets on Lance, who nearly fell over. She didn't notice, continuing to Aiko. She bumped the girl with her foot, Aiko squealing through her laughter. Her dying laughter turned into childish giggles, and she managed to find her footing. Lance attempted to agree with Hunk, though several blankets piled in front of his face made breathing difficult, never mind talking.

Aiko continued to squeal, Pidge slipping their headphones on. Shay had returned to relieve Lance of the blanket mountain in front of his face while Hunk set the hot chocolate on the coffee table.

"Hey," Pidge piped up, Aiko finally calming down. "I wanted coffee."

"Coffee!?" Lance hollered, outraged. "It's damn near eleven o'clock at night, and you want coffee!? You're like, twelve. Are you even allowed coffee!?"

"TWELVE!? I'M SEVENTEEN FOR YOUR BIG FAT INFOR-FUCKING-MATION!!" Pidge countered Lance with multiple insults, Lance eventually giving up.

Matt, meanwhile, had only just recovered from laughing at Aiko when Lance and Pidge began bickering. There really was no stopping them, Matt knew this. He still knew he should shut Pidge up before they made it any worse. Still heaving for breath, Matt climbed onto the edge of his well, slipping through the space. He landed on the floor next to Lance, Pidge shivering before countering Lance again.

Matt snuck towards Pidge, careful not to be in their crossfire of insults. Lightly laying his hand on Pidge's shoulder, they scrunched their face and balled their fists, returning to their computer screen.

"HA! I win again!" Lance bent at the waist, pointing a finger at Pidge, his other hand on his hip.

"Lance." Aiko, who had now recovered, was glaring at Lance. Lance stood up again, staring at Aiko curiously for a moment. She glanced at the infuriated Pidge, looking back at Lance. His eyes widened with realization, mouth snapping shut as he moped back over to the couch. Hunk and Shay glanced at each other for a moment, Aiko falling onto the couch. 

"You sure have a weird effect on Lance, Aiko. You seem to be able to control him," Shay noted, handing the girl a cup of hot chocolate.

"Nah, he's just scared of me." Aiko meant it to be a joke, but her serious expression never changed. Shay laughed a little, handing the girl a duvet. Aiko snuggled into it, holding her beverage close to her cold nose. Lance wiggled into the blanket with her, Aiko squeaking in response. "Get out, Lance!"

"No way! You're warm, and I'm cold. I'm allowed to snuggle with you!" Lance leaned against Aiko, squishing the girl against the arm of the couch. 

"Lance!"

Keith watched form the side of Matt's well, still trying to figure out why Aiko seemed familiar. Matt reached for the crystal within his pocket, glowing a soft blue. Once his fingers wrapped around the crystal, Matt whispered the phrase Keith had been forced to memorize during training.

 _Heart of feathers, Mind at ease. World of silence, Oath of peace._  

Matt became a little ball of soft blue light, disappearing after a few moments. Keith stared at the beige haired girl a while longer, nearly falling in the well when Matt's voice popped up behind.

"Whatcya starin' at?" Matt caught Keith by the jacket, smiling triumphantly. Keith glared in return, muttering a thank you as he stormed away. Matt shook his head, still smiling as he returned to watching his human and their friends.

* * *

"Keith, where have you been? Allura's been worried sick." Coran grabbed the boy by the arm, dragging him towards fortress that held the Head Guardian. Keith stared blankly for a moment, processing what Coran had said. Allura + worried = nothing good, especially since she  _never_ wanted to see Keith, with the exception of when he steals her hair sprays.

"She's worried?"

"Yes! She has to tell you something, but no one's seen you all day." Coran had his focus set on the castle ahead of them, Keith suddenly realizing what was happening. He attempted to pull his arm from the older male, or flap his wings, or kick at him,  _anything_ just to get away. Alas, with no luck or hope of escape, the two reached the castle. Coran continued to drag Keith behind him until the two reached the throne at the end of the corridor. Allura paced back and forth, mumbling words that Keith couldn't understand. Breath hitching, Keith tripped over nothing, boots squeaking. This caught Allura's attention, the white wing winged angel spinning to see the two.

"Keith! I've been worried sick! Come with me, hurry please!" Allura bounced down the steps that led up to her throne, grabbing Keith by the arm. He was pulled down a long hallway that had huge doors on either side, doors that looked like a dragon could fit through. Allura's wings were massive with fluff, three times their normal size. They were so fluffy, Keith only now noticed that he had probably put her through a lot of stress and worry.

Allura shoved open one of the giant doors, tugging Keith into a room that looked like a courtroom in the middle of a football stadium. Almost every seat was filled with the only exceptions being angels who can't leave their humans, and any fallen.

Fallen angels are angels that may have been good, but broke the most important rule. They fell in love with a human. This results in their wings being torn from them, and they are banished to Earth to live the rest of their life among the humans. It was a vile place, at least that's what Keith thought. He hadn't spent a lot of time watching humans, or Earth. He was rather clueless about it all.

Keith was sat in the chair in the middle of the room, wings pulled tight to his back. Allura shuffled her wings as she moved towards the booth, smoothing the feathers down. She moved into the tallest booth, calling the already peaceful room to court. "Keith, you have been called here today on account of the council believing you to be ready to accept responsibility for a being other than yourself." Allura's voice boomed throughout the room, face dead serious as Keith tried not to melt under all the eyes staring at him, judging him form every side and angle. "Speak your wrongs now."

Keith swallowed the lump in his throat, sitting up straighter. He spilled what he had done, the hair products, the training incidents. He even received an outraged cry form the  audience when he spilled that he had hidden Shiro's eyeliner. Allura smiled slightly, attempting not to laugh. When Keith finished, he relaxed his wings, holding in his stressed out sigh. Allura nodded, allowing everyone to leave. Most angles did, going to either spend time with each other or return to their humans. Few stayed, angles Keith knew as a child, or friends of friends.

"You will now receive your name and your human." Allura stood, and Keith followed suit, waiting for her to walk to him. She stopped in front of him, handing him a blue crystal that shone lightly. It was a beautiful blue, soft but sharp. He knew he had seen it somewhere before, with Matt but he had seen that same glow somewhere else too. "Do what you wish with this stone, but do not lose it. This is what you use to return to us after helping your human. Can you recite  the words for me?"

Keith knew the words by heart, he had since a child. Shiro made him tell him every time they were together. Smiling, Keith said the verse: "Heart of feathers, Mind at ease. World of silence, Oath of peace." Allura nodded in response, placing the crystal into his hands. 

"Your human name is Keith Kogane. If for any reason you are seen within the human world, this is your name." Allura held her hands over Keith's, the information pooling into the crystal. "Your humans name is Lance Mcclain. Don't forget this." Allura removed her hands, allowing Keith to tuck to crystal away. He crammed it in his pocket, full of determination. "Coran will lead you to your well, please be careful."

* * *

Coran triumphantly fluffed his wings, heading back to the castle after lecturing Keith on every rule about being a Guardian. Keith lost interest half way through, already knowing the rules. He was visited by Shiro shortly after Coran left, the black and white winged male leaning against Keith's well. He chattered on for a moment, Keith not listening to a thing he said. Instead, he stared at the crystal he had retrieved from his pocket. It's soft glow seemed to hold Keith hostage, causing him to completely zone out. Shiro's wings on his was the only thing that snapped him back to reality.

"What? Sorry Shiro, I wasn't listening." Keith tucked the crystal away again, sighing from exhaustion. 

"I know. It only gets harder from here Keith." Shiro brought his wing back, staring off at the rest of the Guardians who were peacefully leaning over their wells. "Remember, Keith. When wings fail, there's no net to catch you."

"What?"

"It's a metaphor. We represent the wings. If we fail, that's it. Break a rule, no one's there to save you." Shiro ruffled Keith's hair, earning a disgusted glare in return. "Be careful out there." He headed off toward his own well, leaving Keith confused by what he meant, and how he managed to get away from Pidge.

Pulling the rock from his pocket, Keith leaned over the well. A mixture that moved like smoke, dark rich purple, filled the stone ring. Keith held the crystal over the middle of the well, repeating the four lines Allura had him say. He dropped the stone as he finished the last syllable, causing the liquid to move, showing a brown skinned boy in his bedroom, whispering to a girl with her nose buried in a book.

The rock floated back up, and Keith reached out to grab it. He dropped in back in his pocket, resting his head on his hand. Their conversation seemed to go no where, irritating Keith more than anything. He mostly tuned them out, playing with his crystal again. He only glanced when he had to, occasionally when there was a cough or sneeze. Keith settled that he would be okay with this boy, but only if he had to be.

"Aiko," Lance stared at the ceiling, bored and tired. The light haired girl had her nose burried in another poetry book, laying awkwardly again. She laid on her back on Lance's table, a pillow holding up her shoulders. She brought her legs up, placing one over the other. She told Lance it was comfortable, said it stretched her back.

"Hm?" Aiko had a habit of never using words to reply to her name, instead mumbling or nodding.

"What was it like?" Lance turned his head to look at his sister. "Up there, I mean." Aiko stopped reading, a frail page between her fingers. She stared at Lance's mat, trying not to look panicked.

Keith's shock had caused him to fall through the well, landing on his back. Matt hadn't been there to catch Keith this time, his crystal tumbling out if his pocket.

 "I've told you lots, Lance." The girl flipped the page nonchalantly , reading the notes she had scribbled onto the pages.

"I know, but I wanna hear it again." Lance sat up, turning to look at her. She sighed, closing her book. She pulled herself off the table, stopping in Lance' s door. She stared into the dark hallway, looking at her room across from her.

"Goodnight Lance." Aiko stepped outside the door, closing it behind her. Lance huffed, falling back onto his bed. He usually had conversations with Aiko late into the night, resulting in her falling asleep and Lance needing to carry her into her room. This was the first time she had avoided telling Lance her story again. He wondered why, but brushed it off as he fell asleep.

Keith sighed with relief, letting his head fall to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At some point I use lyrics from one of my favorite songs. It's called Queen of France by Royal. I listen to the nightcore version because I'm just a dork like that. Anyway, here's the link.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06F16t0yAf0&index=18&list=PL9moVzLG00VNcBlVu5fd3_GhvZ0VHC9nV  
> Erm, that goes to a nightcore playlist that I have so If you don't want the whole playlist you can clickk this link  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06F16t0yAf0  
> Enjoy this chapter!

Keith played with the crystal wrapped around his wrist from his trip back to the castle after he had returned from crashing into Lance's room. Keith had spent five minutes searching for the glowing rock that had tumbled from his pocket, so Allura saw it fit to add a suede strap attached to it so Keith could tie it to his wrist. She debated a necklace but thought it would interfere with his 'horseplay' too much, and chiseling the rock so it fit into a ring took far too long and required a jeweler; something that was inaccessible since her father's disappearance.

A slight smile haunted the shadows on Keith's mouth, his bangs hiding his sparkling eyes from anyone who passed by. His right hand- the one bearing the bracelet- propped his head up as he leaned against the bricks of the well, the other hand laying across the cold stone. Keith's wings hung lazily, rose feathers brushing the glass floor. Voices echoed around him, either angels or the humans within their wells. Keith's own was playing his video game, nonchalantly staring at the screen with his headphones on as the joysticks clicked against the plastic of the remote. Keith figured it was a side effect of Aiko teasing Lance about his horrible skills again.

Lance hummed a tune, Keith noticing the cord of his over-sized earmuffs like headphones plugged into a small device next to him. "Wherever you are, we're staring at the same old stars. Both have beating hearts, inside our chests..." Lance muttered the few words as he concentrated on stalking the computer player. Keith sighed happily, shuffling his wings as he stretched, only now noticing the figure on the opposite side of his well. Keith squealed, jumping backwards. A familiar laugh filled Keith's ears, his fluffed feathers flattening as he glared at his friend.

"Shiro, you can't sneak up on me like that." Keith shook his wings, evading eye contact.

"Why not?" Shiro teased. "It's fun." Keith snorted, attempting to hide his childish grin. Shiro chuckled again, leaning on one hand against Keith's well. "Anyway, how's the kid?"

"Kid!?" Keith's head shot up, half in outrage and half out of surprise. "He's not a kid, Shiro! He's like... twenty... I think." Shuffling his wings a second time, Keith casually leaned against his well once again.

Another voice echoed through the well, feminine and high pitched, Aiko was teasing Lance from the top of the stairs. Lance screamed back, turning the volume up on his phone. Keith frowned slightly, poising his wings like he was about to pounce. With one swift movement, Keith jumped and pulled himself over the wall and into the well. He gave only a quick 'I'll be back' to Shiro before the picture inside disappeared into the swirl of purple and blue, sparkles of pink turning up occasionally. Shiro shook his head, sitting on the edge of the well, wings outstretched and head hanging backwards.

* * *

 "Lance, you can't hide down there forever."

"Watch me,  _Aiko_." Lance glared at the TV, joysticks clacking and buttons silent as he madly smashed all of them. In his fury, the computer player snuck up behind, hitting Lance's avatar in the back. An outraged cry came from Lance at the same time Keith fell to the ground, wings flung out to stop him from landing on his face... again. 

Aiko's childish giggles could be heard through the small opening between the wall and the basement door. "How about a snack Lance?" Aiko carried a plate downstairs, littered with crackers and cheese.

"I do not accept your peace offering." Lance dropped his remote on the coffee table, throwing his headphones onto the couch beside him. "Wait, do I smell Vinta crackers?" Lance's frustration quickly turned to satisfaction as Aiko reached the bottom of the stairs. "Perhaps a temporary truce is in order." 

Aiko snickered, pajama pants flopping over her toes. "You're such a-" Aiko froze, mid-step, eyes were locked on the winged figure at the end of the couch. Keith realized she was staring at him and looked at Aiko curiously. He knew he had seen her somewhere before, but hell if he could say where. Aiko stood there with a terrified expression, Keith trying desperately trying to figure out why her appearance was so familiar.

"Nikko?" Keith tilted his head, but took the name back, remembering that Nikko had darker hair, and had laid in a wheat field until she bled out. This girl was alive, standing right in front of him. 

Aiko shook her head, taking another step towards the boy, though she already knew who it was. She needed to get close enough so she could feel his wings just one last time. "Keith?" 

"What?" Lance stared at Aiko curiously, really more concerned about his crackers. Aiko's eyes never left Keith, her skin white as a bed sheet. Her eyes made her look like a deer in the headlights, plate dangerously close to losing its contents. "Aiko?"

"What time is it?" Aiko merely moved her lips, Keith starting to worry.

"Time?" Lance reached for his device, Keith turning to watch the boy. "It's four minutes after seven." Aiko nodded, Keith returning his attention to the girl. "Are you alright, Aiko? You look like you just saw a ghost." Lance tossed the small device in his hand on the couch, rescuing his crackers from Aiko's weak grasp. He tried to set a hand on her back, but she leapt away from his touch, head snapping towards him.

"I-I'm fine! I'm going to bed." Aiko spun around, bouncing up the stairs with a new hop in her step. She didn't look back, but her strange behavior reminded Keith of someone he used to know. She used to watch him practice what she would call 'MMA' or at least something along those lines.

"I'll meet you in my room then?"

"No, I'm going straight to bed." Aiko slammed the basement door behind her, and Lance listened to her frantic footsteps down the hall.

Lance grumbled to himself, falling back onto the couch. He grabbed for his phone and his remote, swearing about Aiko. Keith sat himself at the other end of the couch, staring at the frustrated and confused boy. He turned his attention to the screen, watching in horror as Lance shot three people and blood sprayed on the screen. Lance snickered but Keith clutched his stomach and left the couch, heading for the stairs.

Barely holding down his supposed-to-be dinner, Keith reached for the door handle. The door creaked open but Lance didn't seem to notice. Keith wandered down the hallway until he came across two doors directly across from each other. One had a light streaking out from under it, the other voices echoing within it. 

"..but why is he here- no never mind why,  _how_ is he here- I mean, you're in charge up there! Why Lance, and why Keith? Why those two?? That's a horrible combination-"

"Calm down, Aiko. You know why he's here. I know its not easy, but that's just how it works." Keith was on the verge of banging his head on the wall, knowing that voice but not knowing whose it was. You'd think it'd be easy to tell, but Keith spent most of his time- before Lance- in a room by himself with only his breathing and squeaking boots to fill the silence. "I have to go now, but I'll be back tomorrow. Okay?" The four verses every angel uses to return were enthusiastically spoken, and something clicked in Keith's head.

"Allura!?" Keith flung the door open seconds too late, but still managed to scare the shit out of Aiko.

"Keith? What the fuck are you doing in my room!" Aiko leapt off her bed, stomping towards the puffy winged angel. 

"Why was Allura in here." Keith refused to move from the girl's door frame, despite her best efforts to shove him away.

"It's none of your.." Aiko grunted with effort, Keith looking rather unimpressed, ".. business!" Slipping away in her sock feet, Aiko sat on the floor frustrated.

"Well, it kind of is. Who the hell are you, why are you so familiar and why do you know my name?" Aiko glared up at Keith as he talked, looking more like a pouting four year old than a nineteen year old girl.

"What the fuck is this, third degree? Get out of my damn room-" Aiko climbed back to her feet, but Keith stopped her with a hand on her forehead. She squirmed and smacked at his hand, grinning slightly.

"You gonna tell me yet?"

"You're an asshat."

Keith chuckled. "Sure. Now how about answering me?"

"Fuck you."

* * *

 Lance found Aiko in her usual position on his table, her nose buried in a poetry book. "I thought you were going to bed?" Pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it at her, he received a disapproving snort as well as the shirt chucked back at him. The two giggled and Aiko was forced to close her book, Lance keeling over from laughing.

"I was going to but..." Aiko glanced at the rocking chair that resided at the foot of Lance's bed. She'd told him countless times to get rid of the thing, but why would he listen to his younger sister? Keith sat in the chair now, legs folded and wings pulled in close. "I thought you wanted to hear that story again." Aiko looked back at Lance, smiling. He looked rather confused, but accepted her spontaneous offer. "Alright I'll tell you. But," Aiko smirked sideways at Keith. "You have to go back first. There's no way I'm answering _any_ of your questions with this."

"What??" Keith cried, wings fluffing.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you, spitfire. Shoo."

"Did you just-"

"Aiko, did you just tell my guardian angel to shoo?" Lance sat on his bed, smirking deviously. Aiko was silent for a second, also smirking. It came to the point that her eyes flew open and her head shot up, screaming at Lance in something Keith couldn't understand.

"¿Qué? ¡Cuánto tiempo lo sabes, culo!" Aiko smacked his arms screaming and yelling while Keith sat staring extremely confused. Lance snipped back, and the two yelled until they both went silent, glaring at each other. Then at the same time, a smile crept onto their faces and they burst into laughter.

"No but seriously, it was obvious as soon as you almost dropped my crackers."

" _Your_ crackers." Aiko nodded heading to the door, grabbing her book on the way. She stopped in the frame, staring at her door. "Abuela called today. While you were at school."

"She did?" Lance sat up from where he had fallen while laughing, attention perked. "What'd she say?"

"What she always does..." Aiko looked at the floor, Lance understanding.

"How'd you reply?" Lance bounced to his feet, taking a few long strides to the girl.

Aiko looked up and faked a smile. "How I always do." Then she left, across the hall to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. 

"Ah, poor Aiko." Lance closed his door, shaking his head. He stood in front of his old rocking chair, staring down at about where he thought the face of his angel was, which happened to be exactly where it was. The two sat there for a ling time, Keith paralyzed by Lance, Lance unmoving. For a moment, Keith could've sworn that Lance could see him, until Lance spoke. "What do you look like?" Lance's eyes darted around, as if looking for an answer. Not finding one, he sighed and fell onto his bed. "Well, maybe Aiko can talk to you more tomorrow."

"Yeah, cause she just adores me." Keith rolled his eyes, grumbling to himself.

"She hasn't been herself lately. This isn't part of your job, is it. This, listening to me rant. Then again, I guess not a lot of people are aware of their guardians, huh?" Lance kicked at his blanket until it was falling off his bed. "Anyway, good night, Keith." With that, Lance turned off his lamp and snuggled into his pillow. Keith was silently stunned for a moment, staring at the peaceful boy. He felt something inside, like a tugging feeling.

"What did I get myself into?"

* * *

 Lance woke to his alarm and the smell of cooking eggs. He buried his face in his pillow one last time before turning his alarm off, and almost immediately falling back asleep. There were three knocks at his door before a tired Aiko peeked her head in. "Lance? Hunk came over early this morning. Says there's something important going on at school today. Some... test or something?" Lace refused to stir, Aiko throwing her pillow at him in annoyance. "Oye. Levántate. En serio, Lance." Mumbling something out in Spanish to Aiko, she snorted pulling the door closed. "Fine, but Pidge said you were her ride to school today. If you aren't in the kitchen in ten minutes I'm sending Pidge to wake you up."

Lance's eyes shot open as the door clicked shut, memories of the last time Pidge had woken him up. He shivered, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Keith snorted with entertainment from his spot on the well, throwing a small rubber ball Shiro had given him in the air. He was laying on the wall, wings tucked in under him. He had spent the night throwing the ball into the air and catching it before it hit his face. Of course, he had missed a few times, a sore spot under his eye as a result of two of those times.

Lance grabbed his towel, sleepily wandering down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Is there time for me to shower?"

"Why else would we come half an hour early?" Hunk smiled as he flipped an egg, Pidge totally absorbed by their computer. Shay hummed quietly as she scrubbed at the dishes, Aiko had long since fallen asleep on Pidge's shoulder. Lance lazily nodded, wandering up the stairs to one of the bathrooms in the house. "Is it just me, or did Lance look more... upset than usual?"

"How so?" Shay chirped from behind him.

"He isn't acting like himself. He got up early, he totally forgot about that face mask thing, he's moping around. It's like someone else is looming over him, pulling his spirits down." Hunk's expression became one of worry as he set the batch of eggs on a plate, cracking the next round onto the griddle.

"It's probably his ego-ack!" Pidge squawked in discomfort, jabbing a finger in Aiko's ribs as payback. Aiko snickered, wiggling her fingers on Pidge's side. Pidge giggled in response, setting their computer in the coffee table in front of them, the pair spending the next five minutes tickling each other, squawking and giggling. Hunk and Shay smiled at each other, a silent word passed as they went back to cooking. 

Lance wandered back down the stairs, heading straight back to his room. Keith caught the ball one last time, dropping it next to the well. He pushed himself up criss-crossed his legs, turning to face the picture of Lance. Keith's inopportune timing sent him tumbling over backwards with a deep blush on his face, wings pulled in tight. Shiro happened to show up just as Keith fell, hands over his face and curled up. "You alright there, Keith?"

"Why did I choose that exact moment to check on him- god I'm never going to get that picture out of my mind- agh Keith you idiot-"

"What picture?" Shiro leaned over the wall of the well just as Lance finished tugging his jeans up. "Oh that picture."

"I hate my life ohmygodwhy- stupid Lance with his stupid nudity and his stupid perfect ass whatthefuckwhyme-"

"Keith you're rambling again."

"WHY DID I LOOK OVER AT THAT EXACT MOMENT AHHH-"

"Oh for the love of Altea, shut the hell up Keith!" Keith's mouth instantly snapped shut, wings still shuddering. Shiro pulled the traumatized angel to his feet, patting his back. Keith shook his head and ruffled his hair, Shiro smoothing down the boy's feathers. "Calm down, be glad you didn't catch him while he was in the shower."

"I was so worried all of a sudden he was just silent and I was scared he might've suffocated or something I mean are humans really that dumb can they do that-"

"Keith!"

"Sorry Shiro..." Keith picked the ball back up, bouncing it lightly on the ground a couple times. He grumpily stared at the grey stone of his well as Shiro started to walk off.

"I have to make sure Matt hasn't gone insane yet and Hunk isn't burning himself. Can you handle Lance?" 

"Yeah sure whatever." Keith leaned on the well, one hand propping his face up by the cheek, squishing one eye. The other hand laid lazily across the rock, his wings drooping behind him. Shiro grinned and wandered off, shaking his head the whole time. When Keith was sure Shiro was gone he slid back down beside his well and covered his face. His wings wrapped around him like a little circle of comfort, his face burning up. 

"Dammit Lance."

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a great artist I found on the Voltron Amino! If you don't have it, you should definitely get it. You can find me there as Nyx, and also my Instagram is there!
> 
> This is my first fanfiction for the Fandom, so I hope it's okay. I've been putting it off after reading Watercast and Dirty Laundry because I feel that my writing is inferior.


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